This is the order I have for them, with my humor ratings
sands, lynsay
series
single white vampire*****
love bites***
tall, dark and hungry***
a quick bite***
a bite to remember***
bite me if you can*** (e)
the accidental vampire*** (e)
vampires are forever(tbr) (e)
I think it would be slightly better to read them in order because a little more of the world-building is presented in the earlier books, but I don’t think it would be too hard to pick up in the middle.

Actually, A Quick Bite is the first of the series, even though it was published fourth. Lynsay says that when she pitched the idea, Dorchester wasn't interested in a female vamp so she had to write the three guys first, even though Lissiana's story came first. When she switched publishers, she was able to write L's story and then continue with the rest.

I agree with Mark. They can be read out of order, but I think you would get the most out of them if you read them in order._________________DeniseM

Last night I read Vampires Are Forever by Lynsay Sands, the latest in the series. There is very little humor in this volume. It is a mostly serious mystery/adventure. It is also an UNFINISHED story! I sure hope the volume due out next month resolves the mystery/adventure because at the moment I am quite frustrated. THIS volume should have had the “interrupted” title rather than next month’s volume.

I'd say your best bet is to skip them altogether. I was not impressed by the only book I read in the series, a combination of ass-kissing her publisher and Kathryn Falk and horribly embarrassing situations._________________Reality has a well-known liberal bias.

I've only read one. "Single white vampire" put me off completely because of the stupid, shrill, brash heroine. I kept wishing someone would put a stake through her. The party with all its in-jokes didn't help, either.

Do these have to be read in order? I have not read any of them but #7 The Accidental Vampire looks like a humorous read.

I have read ONLY the Accidental Vampire and I enjoyed it. It was fun. Not a keeper, but a decent way to while away an afternoon. I don't think the author meant it to be taken too seriously. I had actually gone to the bookstore to get Mine To Possess by Nalini Singh but they didn't have it. Grrr! I just didn't want to go home without a book.

So I just finished reading A Quick Bite. I prefer historical romances but there aren't a bunch of historicals coming out so I thought I try something different.

For the most part I thought the book was OK. What really bothered me however

Possible

Spoiler

was how very little thought was put into whether or not Greg wanted to become a vampire. Lissianna mentioned some of the pitfalls briefly, and Greg thought about them briefly, but then a real heartfelt thought out choice seemed to be snatched from him.

I think I know why the author chose to have him make his decision in a moment of heightened emotions. Sort of like the idea that how you behave in an emergency says a lot about your character. I suppose that how Greg reacted in his emergency was suppose to say alot about how he felt about Lissianna.

I just felt the book gave short shrift to Greg's family. All of the action happens in a matter of days, but as a reader I am suppose to believe that he could made a monumental descision like whether to become a vampire without giving serious consideration and thought to his family and his life pre-Lissianna. We're told he comes from a loving family, we "meet" his mother, one of his sister's and his brother-in-law and we're told that if he chooses to be a vampire he will only have another 10-15 years with them before he has to cut all ties and probably fake his own death.

And that's it. Then the action happens, he chooses vampirism during a stressful and emotional situation and his family and thoughts about his family are never mentioned again. I just didn't buy it and it weakened that whole story for me.

I spent the rest of the book, which was all ready stretching my suspension of disbelief (for the plot twists and not for the premise) thinking about his family and what ultimately would happen to them. 10-15 years from then, their son and brother was going to "die." If he had a child before then they may lose a grandchild as well or just slowly be cut out of its life. He would only be able to experience from afar the joys and accomplishments in his family and he would have to watch as they mourned him and his wife and would have to know that he was the cause of their pain.

I know that I am probably overthinking what is suppose to be a funny book, but that was just an unfunny bit that brought down my whole level of enjoyment. B- at best.

I think most of them are entertaining. As the series goes on, however, I'm increasingly struck by the improbability that, after having been around for hundreds to thousands of years, all of them are suddenly finding their life mates within a span of well under a decade.

very little thought was put into whether or not Greg wanted to become a vampire. Lissianna mentioned some of the pitfalls briefly, and Greg thought about them briefly, but then a real heartfelt thought out choice seemed to be snatched from him.

I think I know why the author chose to have him make his decision in a moment of heightened emotions. Sort of like the idea that how you behave in an emergency says a lot about your character. I suppose that how Greg reacted in his emergency was suppose to say alot about how he felt about Lissianna.

I just felt the book gave short shrift to Greg's family. All of the action happens in a matter of days, but as a reader I am suppose to believe that he could made a monumental descision like whether to become a vampire without giving serious consideration and thought to his family and his life pre-Lissianna. We're told he comes from a loving family, we "meet" his mother, one of his sister's and his brother-in-law and we're told that if he chooses to be a vampire he will only have another 10-15 years with them before he has to cut all ties and probably fake his own death.

And that's it. Then the action happens, he chooses vampirism during a stressful and emotional situation and his family and thoughts about his family are never mentioned again. I just didn't buy it and it weakened that whole story for me.

I spent the rest of the book, which was all ready stretching my suspension of disbelief (for the plot twists and not for the premise) thinking about his family and what ultimately would happen to them. 10-15 years from then, their son and brother was going to "die." If he had a child before then they may lose a grandchild as well or just slowly be cut out of its life. He would only be able to experience from afar the joys and accomplishments in his family and he would have to watch as they mourned him and his wife and would have to know that he was the cause of their pain.

I know that I am probably overthinking what is suppose to be a funny book, but that was just an unfunny bit that brought down my whole level of enjoyment. B- at best.

I would agree that being "turned" or "sired" (or whatever term Sands uses) is a very serious decision--something like oil to ChickLit humour's water.

When I was reading the excerpts on Sands' Web site earlier this week, I had the impression that she was writing "wallpaper vampires." I can see the fun of that, but it's really not my thing. _________________"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton)

As the series goes on, however, I'm increasingly struck by the improbability that, after having been around for hundreds to thousands of years, all of them are suddenly finding their life mates within a span of well under a decade.

Thank you! This is a SERIOUS logical leap that bugs me considerably in paranormal series. Christine Feehan's Carpathians are another where this is obvious. In fact, along with the increasing repetition, the sudden onslaught of lifemates was one of the things that started to wear on me. Where were all these psychic human women before now? Maybe this is answered in the more recent books and I just haven't kept up with the series, but it reached the point I just couldn't overlook it.

It seems to me that any series featuring multiple "immortal" characters will run into this hurdle. I could probably buy it if there were only one "ancient" who waited centuries for the one, but a series is pushing it for me.

When I was reading the excerpts on Sands' Web site earlier this week, I had the impression that she was writing "wallpaper vampires."

That is my impression as well. I've read two books of this series, but I can't really say that I remember them.

melann wrote:

It seems to me that any series featuring multiple "immortal" characters will run into this hurdle. I could probably buy it if there were only one "ancient" who waited centuries for the one, but a series is pushing it for me.

Wouldn't it be interesting to see these vampires find their mates all through the ages?

It seems to me that any series featuring multiple "immortal" characters will run into this hurdle. I could probably buy it if there were only one "ancient" who waited centuries for the one, but a series is pushing it for me.

Wouldn't it be interesting to see these vampires find their mates all through the ages?

Jitterbug!!! You are on to something!

I agree that it would be more interesting. From a writer's point of view, it would also be more challenging.

I'll admit that this "coincidence" of everyone finding their life-mates within a short period never really bothered me before, perhaps because I've read only one vampire book to date. _________________"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton)